Otovalo, Ecuador & crossing the equator

Straddling the Equator

The class arrived down in the lobby, anticipating the last leg of the journey. We noticed that one of our fellows, Mr. Rick Stark had broke the code of conduct and shaved his Amazonian beard. This sorely disappointed the rest of us, especially me. I can’t grow a beard at all- and this beard growing experiment merely just showed the class how little facial hair I can produce (I like to consider that I’m just more evolved). We boarded the bus and were on our way to Northern Ecuador.

The first stop was at a major tourist attraction- the equator. Expecting a bright red line (similar to the yellow first down lines in the NFL) again I hit a major disappointment (#2 for the day). In typical Ag Leadershilp fashion, the class set into formation and we took a class photo. We were getting this class photo thing down.

Heading north, we soon were at our next stop, Hacienda La Compania de Jesus. This hacienda was a very interesting stop- we had coffee (the best all trip) and snacks awaiting us as we arrived. Also throughout the house were elaborate bouquets of roses. These Ecuadorians sure know how to grow a rose. Massive bouquets were located throughout every room in the house. We took a tour of the grounds, including their own chapel. We had a little girl walking around and giving us each one rose… and once again, the mandatory class photo and we were back on the road.

Arriving in Otavolo, we could barely make out the mountains (volcanoes) surrounding us amidst the fog and mist. The first stop was for lunch at a place famous for its Cuy (guinea pig). Looking over the menu, there were many options to choose from- the mandatory Cuy, rabbit, blood sausage and other mystery meats. I was being adventurous (as usual) and ordered the combo plate, which consisted of all of the above. I also tried some fried Cuy livers as an appetizer, and let me tell you, that was some appetizer!

After a very large lunch we were ready to visit the Universidad Technica del Norte- the main agricultural university in Northern Ecuador. We unfortunately were on a bit of a time schedule, but were treated to a great tour regardless. The highlight of this particular tour was the cuy production facility. Little did we know we’d see confined cuy. We took a quick walk down to some grain production trials. This school contained 500 agricultural students led by 25 faculty members. This university was very well maintained, unlike the university farm we visited in Cusco, Peru. You could feel the pride that the students had in their projects.

After the university visit, we had a special treat lined up for us. We had representatives from the Benson Institute, a group that has developed a nutrition program in rural Ecuador. This program analyzes current diets and works with families to help integrate other crops and livestock into their diets to help improve their health. We had a few family visits and were able to see this first hand. The institute would provide things such as technical support, seeds and seed stock livestock. One family for example were provided a few cuy and grew that into a thriving enterprise of 90 cuy.

Family in their garden plot

Another family working with the Benson Institute

The family visits wrapped up and we hopped back on our busses. We headed to the Hacienda Cuisin, the location of our final night on our trip. When we arrived at the site, I was pleasantly surprised. The grounds were expansive and immaculately manicured. We walked around and checked out everyone else’s rooms. Many of the females in our class had their own cottages… this place was great! We cleaned up and met for our finale dinner.

We had a large banquet room all to ourselves. The food was great, but the toast was the highlight of the night. None other than Mr. Peterangelo Vallis gave an elaborate toast to the class. There is no way I can capture this moment in words, or even by pictures. Peter, with glass of wine in hand, roved around the room, and told the many stories that we had from our experience that was coming to an end. Fellows were dropping like flies due to the hysteric laughter. We saluted ourselves in one last great toast, here’s to a great trip!

Sincha Pura & Quito, Ecuador

I awoke after the thunder and lightning storm to a completely soaked camp. The rain had just let up right as we were waking up. We ate a basic breakfast of sliced fruit and moldy bread. We gathered up the few belongings we had at the village and we ready to go. On our way out, we had one of the villagers show off his pet boa constrictor. I was a little uneasy that when he went to go retrieve it, he didn’t walk very far. I probably wouldn’t have slept so well knowing a boa constrictor was so close to my cot.

We walked out of camp and hiked back to the bus. Walking over the large bridge was easier this time. I made it once, I can make it again, right? We made it over the bridge and the bus was awaiting. We boarded the bus, and were supposed to go straight to Quito, as our bags were in the bus. Our guide Norby informed us that we needed to go back to beautiful Tena to retrieve his bag. Que? Did he miss this memo as well? Alas, it was one more chance to go back to Tena, jewel of the Amazon. I thought this was a good opportunity to find a good souvenir shop to find a shirt, “Happiness is Tena.” No such luck unfortunately. By the way, we decided that our guide Norby and our slick driver Jose were actually running drugs to Quito via a tour bus filled with Americans, thus the ‘pick up’ of bags at the hotel in Tena. There’s always an angle.

The day was bright and sunny, quite a contrast from our trip in. As we left, we were treated with magnificent views of the surrounding peaks and the seemingly infinite jungle. We were a bit under a time constraint, as we needed to be near Quito at a flower producer’s facility by 12:30. Our bus driver didn’t get this memo as well. He took his sweet time, stopped to get gas as soon as we left Tena (why he didn’t fill up in the morning before he picked us up I have no idea). He did try to make up some time by passing even slower vehicles (there were a few) on blind corners. At one point, we turned a blind corner and some large flatbed truck was making a U-turn in the middle of the road. Jose slammed on his brakes and we nearly t-boned the guy.

Another interesting aspect of our trip was the condition of the bus. Once we got to the Andes and started climbing, a smoky smell started to seep throughout the bus. Upon further inspection, our transmission appeared to be smoking. When asked, Jose the driver said that it was normal in these higher conditions. Yeah, right. We were finally getting acclimated to the crazy driving and the lack of attention to his vehicle when suddenly the bus pulled to a stop in the middle of the road. What are we doing? Jose said he needed to check the tire pressure with a smile. Great, he’s taking care of his rig. I watched Jose go back behind the bus and relieve a little pressure of his own near a tree. Nice. His tip is getting diminished rather quickly.

Running very late, we finally arrived at a gas station near Quito to meet our next hosts. We were only two hours late, yet they still were very glad to see us (or were very good actors). We followed them towards their greenhouse facility, where they realized that our large bus would not make the very rough road. The people were driving a small compact four-door Chevy truck, with five occupants already in it. We parked our bus and started to shuttle our group up to the greenhouses. We were able to fit nine people in the first load, and with five in the cab- a grand total of 14 people in that truck. I commented that our program director who is typically overly concerned with our safety would crap a brick if he saw us. I couldn’t reach my camera let alone snap a photo of the situation. We safely (barely) arrived without the tailgate flopping open to the greenhouses. We were greeted and shown around the facilities.

We soon were walking in a sea of roses of every color imaginable. There were approximately 35 acres under glass in predominantly in rose production. The main markets were the United States and Russia. We walked into the packing facility and saw how they sorted and boxed the flowers.

The class was in and out quickly. We sauntered down the road to the bus and made it back in to Quito during rush hour traffic. Slow as molasses down the main roads into town we finally reached our end destination- the lovely Hotel Quito. Civilization at last! We quickly made our way inside, checked in and hit the showers to wash off the jungle grime.

A select group of adventurous types met up for a highly recommended place in downtown Quito- ZaZu. The cuisine was amazing and affordable. We enjoyed some South American wine (recommended by none other than the Peterangelo Vallis). After some varied appetizers of ceviche, fried calamari and oxtail ravioli, we were set for the main course. I opted for the salmon- which turned out to be a wise choice. After dinner an even smaller group of us took the taxi back to the hotel. Across the street was a nightclub called Flashback- an 80’s retro place with some very loud 80’s music. When we arrived, the dance floor was empty. Cara from Morro Bay was the first to get out and shake her tail. After her lead, the dance floor was soon throbbing with people dancing to Billy Idol and Michael Jackson. We ended the night and ventured back across the street- we had a long day the next day in Otovalo and needed all the rest we could get.

Buenos Noches Quito!

Sincha Pura, Ecuador- Jungle Fever

Our class woke early to prepare for our trip to the village. We were apprehensive as we were finally given more information about what we had in store for us. The lodging facility was described as ‘primitive’ with ‘local building materials’ and ‘very rustic.’ Who would have thought we were just having drinks with the US ambassador in Quito, wearing suits and ties and here we are looking like jungle commandos. We had to hike in to the village, so I consolidated things into my day pack. The rest of the luggage was stored on the bus, as we all decided we could live through life not going back to the hotel. We were very clear that we didn’t feel safe having our belongings stored at that location, as we probably wouldn’t have anything left when we got back.

We set off to the village, still un-named as of yet. The paved road soon turned to gravel. The gravel road turned to little more than a trail, I was amazed our bus made it this far. We finally got to a spot that was just large enough for the bus to turn around, “Here we are everyone.” Grabbing my backpack and walking off the bus, I was greeted with the image of a long footbridge that was eerily reminiscent of something out of Indiana Jones. Our group assembled at the entrance of the bridge, and our guide Norby instructed us that we had to walk about 15 feet apart, only ten people at a time. Stepping on the first planks, I realized that this was going to test my adversity to heights. I took a deep breath, and put one foot in front of the other. I couldn’t keep looking ahead, as there were a large amount of planks that were rotten or huge gaps between them. I tried as hard as I could to not look down at the water, and completely blocked out the beautiful scenery that was surrounding me. With a large amount of people on the bridge, it was swaying side to side.

We walked through the jungle down a narrow gravel road. We crossed a stream channel hopping from rock to rock, surprisingly everyone had kept dry. Norby our guide took a small path carved out of the jungle, and we walked single file line, penetrating the jungle. This small path winded around and soon we could hear the river in the distance getting closer with every step. We heard a hacking sound and came across two men hacking down some vegetation, clearing a plot for a future subsistence garden. The trail opened up and we were soon in the village of Sincha Pura.

This village was very small, yet was maintained more than the village of Huamani. There was a large open area that was cleared out. I quickly noticed the abundance of yellow grass in this area- sure sign of a Glyphosate (RoundUp) application. There was a large futball area and a small structure that served as the school. Overlooking the river was the open-air dining hall, on stilts and with palm fronds as the roof. This was as authentic as you can get.

There was another small covered porch down closer to the river, with hammocks strung up to catch a weary traveler. Off to the side of the village was a decent amount of huts on stilts- these were the ‘barracks’ where we’ll be staying. What, no dirt floors? They had very basic cots with insect nets above them- which only provided a limited amount of reassurance. Two cots and a candle per room, nothing more. Guess that’s all you need, right?

We dropped off our luggage and congregated in the dining hall, which also served a dual purpose as a meeting hall. We had a warm greeting by the head lady of the village and were welcomed to Sincha Pura. We had a quick discussion of the language, as they still speak the native tongue of Ketchuwa?. A few were bilingual and knew Spanish.

The class brought some school supplies for the children of the village. We went to the small school and provided the kids with some supplies... which brought out some nervous smiles.

Next on the agenda was learning about subsistence farming. We learned about their native crops and how they farmed in the Amazon. They integrated a variety of bananas, yucca and other crops into the landscape. We harvested some native tubers- which would be later served at dinner. A little later the group went down the river to another small hut and had a demonstration on cooking methods of Chincha- an alcoholic drink that was enjoyed by the villagers.

At this point, we noticed our group had grown by two fresh new faces. A man and a woman, I assumed European (we later found out they were French) were doing a documentary on eco-tourism in Ecuador, and this was one of the villages they were studying. We realized that we were soon being videotaped and photographed… a little unnerving at first but hey, whatever.

Back to the village we went, and had a little free time before dinner. I went upstream on the river and waded in the river, the fresh, cool water felt great in the humid environment. Soon it was time for dinner. We ate a soup and some presumably free range chicken that was tough as leather. I got some stuck in my teeth and had to use the string from a tea bag as floss to set it free.

After dinner, we had a presentation on the Shamanistic rituals and met the village medicine man. We took our chairs from the dining area and formed a circle and the shaman came out and sat in the middle. He explained the rituals and their medicinal use of Jimsonweed as a psychedelic. Their ‘trip’ could last days or weeks. Often times the subjects of the medicine man may never come back to reality from the Jimsonweed journey. He asked if anyone wanted to be ‘cleansed’ and a few in our group went for it. They took their chair out close to the shaman, took their shirts off and the shaman would drink some potion, and spit it out over their bodies and into their hair. This ritual was a cleansing experience. I considered getting myself a little cleansing myself, but stopped myself short.

Next we traversed the large area with our chairs and prepared ourselves for the next event- a traditional dance. Soon, men came out wearing little more than palm fronds and then girls of the village and women came out in quasi-traditional garments. The music soon started and the dance began. We were excited to share this amazing experience. The girls went back in the tiny hut and I could see them out peering at our group and laughing. Next thing we knew, Norby announced that they would like us to dance with them, and the girls ran out and picked their dance partners. Greg, David, Josh, Cannon and I were ‘selected’ and we went out and cut a rug. Soon, the entire place was dancing and we got Greg to show off some major dance moves. We taught them an important lesson, white men can’t dance. The dance was soon over and we retreated to our cabins. Pulling the insect net over me, I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep.

Around 4:00 in the morning, the scent of rain came associated with powerful thunder and lightning. I’ve seen bigger thunder and lightning storms at home in Shasta County, but keep in mind it was behind the comforts of an actual, not a hut. I spent a little time out on the porch of the hut, amidst the downpour and lightning. Watching the jungle light up with every bolt of lightning was a sight I’ll take to the grave. It wasn’t too long until I heard something very large rustling in the bushes nearby, so I quickly retreated to the hut and the comfort of my cot (which really didn’t offer much physical protection, more mental protection). I listened to the rain and eventually it put me to sleep.

Quito to Tena, Ecuador- Welcome to the Jungle

Our class gathered down in the lobby of the Hotel Quito in anticipation of going somewhere we’ve never been- the Amazon Rainforest. Beauty pageant contestants also were boarding their bus. We unsuccessfully tried to get one of our classmates convinced that their bus was our bus, and he almost made it in before one of the stout body guard stopped him.

A Mercedes bus pulled in to pick us up. We realized that the luxury stopped there, a bullethole in the windshield and chairs that were all stuck in the ‘recline’ position was going to make an interesting trip to Tena. The bathroom was merely a shoebox in the back with a light that didn’t work. Our jungle guide, Norby appeared, an Ecuadorian with surprisingly good English. He had multiple band aids spread across his face- obviously he didn’t get the memo that all the guys in the class had decided not to shave for the duration of the trip. I suggested he was on the losing end of a razor, while another in our group thought he had face-eating parasites. Either way, it wasn’t pretty. Our group also picked up another Ecuadorian, Roxanna, a lady who was finishing up a phD and was joining on us for this leg of the trip. She was going to speak to us later that evening about oil and the environment in Ecuador. Our bus driver was a fellow named Jose, and after his quick introduction, Mendes quipped, “Hammer Down, Jose.” We were off.

We drove out of Quito and soon were out of the city and into the countryside. We passed the Ecuador National futball team’s headquarters. The Redding soccer park is much better than their practice fields. In their credit, the stadium in downtown Quito is first class. The bus pulled over at a gas station and we inundated the small convenience store with gringos on a quest for ice cold Coca-Colas and chips.

En Route to Tena

The trip took us to the highest elevation in our trip so far- approximately 13,000 feet as we reached the Continental Divide. The countryside was much like we experienced in Cusco, Peru. Keep in mind, this elevation is higher than Mt. Lassen yet a little lower than Mt. Shasta, yet it was still lush and green, due to the fact it's near the equator. The vegetation was lush and green, cattle dotted the landscape. We soon found ourselves dropping in elevation, drastically.

We pulled off the road at a ‘scenic overlook’ while at a high elevation still and the wind and rain started to pick up. On a clear day, it would have been spectacular, but unfortunately the scenery had to be left to our imagination. We ate our marginal sack lunch of cold chicken (hopefully chicken) nuggets, canned vegetables and a ham sandwich (with the crust cut off, such attention to detail was impressive).

The bus slowly made it’s way down the windy ravine, along a large cliff overlooking an impressive river. Waterfalls cascaded down the sides of the mountains amidst areas that were cleared out for agriculture. We passed a few oil refineries, our first exposure to oil exploration in Ecuador. The first signs of clear cuts of the rainforest were seen here as well. Before we knew it, the heat and humidity saturated the bus and we were in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest. Welcome to the Jungle!

Wild white orchids lined the roadsides and massive stands of bamboo towered over the road. Periodically we would come across an areas that was cut- lush grass and livestock grazed. From what I saw on this trip, I didn’t see any areas that were cleared with heavy equipment. All of it appeared to be by hand with very little pesticide use. The subsistence farmers would clear enough space to graze a few head of cattle, plant some banana trees and have a small dwelling.

After a few hours of fascinating countryside, we arrived in Tena. Tena reminded me of a tropical Tijuana with a river running through it. Although the poverty was likely similar to Ica, the homes were more substantial. In Ica, you would see small reed huts everywhere, where here something like that wouldn’t survive the rainforest environment- heavier concrete buildings were the norm. The bus driver was lost and we toured Tena quite a bit before we arrived at our hotel. Wow. The “Hotel Christian Palace” was the polar opposite of a palace. Most of the rooms were not ready yet, although it was around 4:00 in the afternoon.

Reading my tour book on Ecuador, the few paragraphs of Tena talked about a park that was located on an island near the center of town. A few of us brave souls decided to venture out into the town in search of this tourist attraction. We walked past the town square, which actually was kept up fairly well, although the statue in the center was missing. Not exactly the gardens of Versailles, but hey, in the heart of the Amazon it was a pleasant surprise. We soon crossed a footbridge and were at the park, which actually was a zoo. I think we surprised the pleasant folks at the admission- they organized a special English speaking tour guide for us. We paid our $2 admission and we entered Tena’s version of Turtle Bay.

"Alf" the tapir

Free Range Monkey

First we came up to the snake cages, where we saw a few boa constrictors. They were just fed (I think they were fed as soon as we stepped footbridge so we could get a show). Fascinating to see a huge boa gulp down a bird. Monkeys had escaped from cages and were running amuck. Our mini safari hit it’s peak when a large tapir we dubbed ‘Alf’ started following us. I quickly realized that there were more animals out of the cages than in the cages, and soon started to be more in touch with my surroundings than usual. Our tour guide showed off a variety of poisonous plants, all along the walking trail. Lovely. A few gallons of sweat later, we left the park and found the one somewhat decent watering hole and enjoyed a little Pilsener to quench the thirst.

Alf, Hot on the Trail

It was nearly time for us to venture back to the hotel. We went up to the top floor in the conference area were greeted with a powerpoint presentation by Rosanna. She discussed environmental issues with clear cutting and oil extraction in Ecuador. We had an interesting discussion, dripping with sweat. We soon went down for dinner, and one of our classmates Cannon informed us there was a sign out front of the hotel, “Cook for Hire.” Very reassuring. I ate what I felt comfortable in eating- very little.

Lovely Tena, Jewel of the Amazon

In for the night at the roach infested hotel, sleep came quicker than I thought. The next day we were going to hike in to a remote village and stay- I was enjoying at least having a bed.

Quito, Ecuador

Our first full day in Ecuador started out with a trip to the US embassy. We were treated with a variety of speakers. We had Gene, the FAS advisor who helped plan this thing give us a quick overview of Ecuador agriculture. We met Gene in Peru a week ago when he gave a similar talk for Peru. Next we had a speaker talk about environmental issues and challenges in Ecuador. One interesting bit of information here is that the constitution has been changed many times, and that more recently in 2008 natural resources were given specific rights. The environmental laws have become stiff here in Ecuador, now only if they were being fully monitored and regulated- that's the tough part.

We had a US diplomat give us a history of the political climate of Ecuador. There have been 20 constitution changes since Ecuador was founded in 1830. Rafael Correa is the current president of Ecuador. Interestingly enough, Ecuador is keeping a very diverse portfolio when it comes to international ties. It keeps relations strong with Russia, Iran and other US-hating countries, also while keeping the US at an arm's distance. They think the US is too dominant in the world and want to keep the American influence to a minimum.

Next on the agenda was the Undersecretary of Agriculture. The class learned about how the land reform has severely hurt the productivity of farmers in Ecuador. They import a vast amount of food, although they have abundant land and water. The country is composed of a multitude of small farmers, small enough that efficiency is not very high and productivity is low. This results in a large amount of imports to the country. Subsidies from the government are the only thing keeping the farmers going. This in essence isn't exactly a bad thing though. It keeps a small amount of profit on the farms to decrease the amount of urban migration and poverty that is abundant in Lima, Peru. There are some large producers and those typically are the cocoa and banana producers. Coffee and corn producers are often very small. I view this small farm subsidy as an interesting form of welfare. Heck, it beats sitting around the TV all day watching Jerry Springer. Unfortunately, it hurts productivity and is very inefficient.

The final speaker at the embassy was Luis Bakker, president of PRONACA, the largest food company in Ecuador. Luis provided a fascinating insight into how Ecuador feeds itself, and the challenges it faces in agriculture. PRONACA produces 1,200 different products under 26 brands. They feel very socially responsible and look out for the small farmer. They help the farmer with purchasing them seed and fertilizer, and also buying their crop. This helps increase the efficiency of a typically very inefficient system. I was very impressed with this speaker, he surely had his act together.

We went to the hotel and had a speaker set up in the conference room. Jascivan Carvalho from Conservation in Action gave an eloquent talk of issues in the Amazon rainforest. Jascivan covered topics such as oil exploration, timber harvest, clear-cut agriculture and eco-tourism. This talk helped prepare us for our trip to the Amazon tomorrow.

We had a little free time, so Josh and I went on a mission- a soccer jersey from Ecuador. We walked down into the center of town, and I crossed the largest (and most complex) intersection I've ever seen in my life. How we survived nobody knows. Luckily, we found a sports store, only after asking around for soccer jerseys in broken Spanish which later we found out we were asking for soccer swimsuits. Ah, crazy gringos. I found the perfect soccer jersey- a keeper jersey (I am an indoor soccer player at Big League Dreams) from the Ecuadorian national team, and it was cheap too!

Back to the hotel, got cleaned up for a big reception at the US ambassador's house. I met a variety of people including Ambassador Hodges. There were many US diplomats available to greet the delegation of California farmers. Many people were very curious why we where in Ecuador. In fact, we had a large contingent of media at the event, snapping photos like paparazzi. Peter Vallis and I were interviewed by Betty Jumbo, the editor of Grupo El Comercio, the largest newspaper in Ecuador. I'll keep my eyes peeled for an article in this newspaper with the only words not in Spanish- "Peter Vallis" and "James Rickert." I'll need an interpreter to figure to see how bad I botched the interview. Ah, ignorance is bliss.

After an inspiring reception, we came back to the hotel just as the Miss Ecuador pageant contestants were arriving. Yes, you heard that right- Miss Ecuador was crowned tonight and we saw her. All of the contestants are staying at this hotel. Quite an interesting twist to a fascinating day. Tomorrow will begin with a long bus ride to the Amazon... I'm excited!

Cusco, Peru to Quito, Ecuador

Finally we get to leave Cusco. Not like I don't like the city, just the fact it's time to move on. We went to the airport early- half the class made the first flight and I was on the second flight, many hours and many espressos later. There was a very distinct possibility that we weren't going to make it at all... or at least get to Lima and miss our connection to Quito, Ecuador. Luckily, everything worked out- before too long the entire class was back together on our flight to Quito.

We landed in Quito and it was very sunny. Quito is around 9,000 feet elevation, closer to the equator so the sun was bright and powerful. We found the bus and rode on down to the colonial part of town. It was a Sunday in Latin America, so most of everything was closed and people were moving slower than usual. Quito is a massive city- around 2 million people. Every square inch is built up, all in the shape of one long sausage. Mountains line the city, and houses go up in every direction. The views in any direction were breathtaking.

We took a walk around the colonial old town, viewed architecture and very old churches. The Plaza Grande was packed- people filled the beautiful square to capacity. We meandered through the colonial buildings to the Plaza de San Francisco next. Here we posted up at the only coffee shop open in town and tried the national beverage- Pilsener. We also tried Club, another beer, and decided that was a bit better. Neither of them rivaled the Cusqueno we had in Cusco, that took the prize.

We checked in to the hotel, and then promptly went out in search of something that was open on a Sunday night.... and we found Chinese food. It was surprisingly good, we had excellent service (we also were the only people there) and we stuffed ourselves. This was some of the best Chinese food I've had in a while... nothing in Redding rivals it unfortunately. We sat near a big screen that played Chinese 'American Idol' and also the Olympics in Chinese. Very authentic, indeed. Back to the hotel because we have a long day at the embassy tomorrow.

Cusco, Peru

Main Square in Cusco

The day started out too early. Somebody in our class called in a 5:00 AM wake up call. That's 2:00 back in California- not exactly my ideal time to wake up. We went to the airport in the rain, checked in and got through security. Once we finally sat down near the gate, the overhead came on and said that all flights were cancelled. Well, what's Plan B?

Plan B was to book a flight the following morning and enjoy the day in Cusco. There are worse places in the world to be stuck. We went back to the hotel, had a 'synthesis' session- which was a large discussion on the socio-economic conditions of Peru. After that, a small group of us broke for lunch. Some of us went to McDonalds. I just couldn't do that- when in Peru do as the Peruvians do. Once we walked out of the hotel, we were blinded by the sun. What? Cancelled flight due to the rain, yet a perfect day was on tap for Cusco. I'll take it, thank you.

A few of us headed to a highly recommended authentic Peruvian place. We ate cuy, or guinea pig as an appetizer. I would say it tastes similar to rabbit or duck. It does not taste like chicken, as some have said. I also ordered beef heart and potatoes for my main course, as I am looking for a good beef heart recipe. I think I found it.

First bite of Cuy

Cuy (Guinea Pig)

Beef Heart with Potatoes

After lunch we located a nice covered market. After a little shopping, we continued to meander around Cusco. The sun was getting to us, so we decided to find shade on a patio overlooking the main square. We enjoyed a Cusquena (local beer from Cusco) and watched the day go by. We eventually headed back to the hotel and called it a day.

Sacsayhuaman and Cusco, Peru

First on the agenda was touring the National University of Cusco, the only major agriculture university for the region. The class was led to the agricultural experiment area where we met up with a professor and a few students. We looked at their dairy operation, which was quite primitive to our standards. The feed the animals eat is pretty poor overall, and you can tell by looking at the skinny animals. This wasn't a Prather Ranch operation, that's for sure. We learned the average production in California per animal was about 4 to 5 times as much as their best milking cow.

We walked around an experimental farm, and looked at their drip irrigation demonstrations and their hydroponic experiments. It seemed as if I’ve stepped back in time, I take for granted how much more advanced we are with our agriculture in California. Looking at the plants, they are very healthy. They had cabbage, lettuce and potato trials. Another interesting thing was that they are just starting to experiment with production of artichokes, and have been quite successful. After viewing Agrokasa and their domination of the asparagus industry, it made me think that the artichoke farmers in California have some serious competition brewing.

The class then headed up to some mountains overlooking Cusco and viewed the magnificent ruins of the Sacsayhuaman. Stones weighing over 125 tons were intricately stacked together with miniscule seams, an engineering feat that still amazes me. The site has massive walls with a zig-zag shape in multiple terraces. This was the location of a rebellion staged against the Spanish in 1536. The site also contained three large towers, which unfortunately were demolished by the Spanish after they quelled the rebellion. The view of Cusco from the site was stunning.

In Amongst the Walls

View of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman

Other Inca sites were visited, including Tambomachay and Q’enqo. Tambomachay is a sacred bathing place for the Inca rulers, with an elaborate aqueduct system and a series of cascading waterfalls. Q’enqo is an Inca shrine with a circular amphitheater and a large stone that represents a puma.

Tracy and I with a Local

The class then retreated to the bus as the forming clouds overhead finally started to pour. We made it back down to Cusco and enjoyed lunch at a small place overlooking one of the many plazas in town. We made the mistake of sitting outside, as we were swarmed with many Peruvians selling a variety of wares, finger puppets, hats, paintings and cigarettes.

After a quick rest in the hotel I went out on a solo mission throughout Cusco. It was dark and the streets were packed. Being with a large group, its always nice to be able to break away and find a little time to collect your thoughts by yourself. I wandered around, blending in much more than walking with a few other gringos. Dinner that night was another amazing blend of flavors- I can really get into this Peruvian food! A great end to the last night in Peru.

The Sacred Valley, Peru

The day first started with a quick breakfast at the hotel. Our guide Jose said he had a special treat for us. Little did I know it would be right up my alley… a covered market in the area near Cusco. First off I went through what they would consider the meat department. My experience in food safety and quality assurance made me really second guess any of the foods I will be eating here in Cusco. There were a few critical control points that need to be evaluated. The rest of the market was fascinating- very colorful and abundant selection of fruits and vegetables, grains and cheese.

Fruit and Vegetable Vendor

Our USDA Meat Inspector would Cringe

Typical Highland Farmer with Potatoes

We boarded the bus and went directly to Chinchero, a small village about 30 minutes from Cuzco, which is at about 12,000 feet elevation. We went to the Center for Weavers of Chinchero and had a demonstration about traditional weaving styles. We learned about how they utilize sheep, llama and alpaca wool and the various patterns in the textiles. There were many women there with the traditional dress. I thought it was great to see this tradition being passed down through generations. With a little bit of time to shop, our class loaded up on various products and piled back into the bus.

The bus then drove down a windy dirt road bordered by many very small subsistence farms and viewed beautiful fields of potatoes, fava beans and wheat. We saw a lot of cattle, sheep and alpacas. There weren’t any fences to speak of, when they wanted to concentrate grazing in one location they would just tie the halter of the animal to a stake at the selected spot. The animal would stay put and eat the grass down to stubble before being moved on. Talk about high intensity, short duration grazing!

We arrived at an Inca site, Moray, tucked in amongst the fields. This site was at 12,500 feet elevation, and would likely be our highest point on our journey. At first getting out of the bus, I didn’t know what I was looking for. We walked over near a cliff and suddenly looked down upon a very symmetrical site. We did not have time to go down to visit the site but the view of it was absolutely amazing.

Next on the agenda we visited the village of Urubamba. Lunch was at the Tunupa restaurant, which was a restored hacienda house that was overlooking the Urubamba River. It had very exotic foods, such as alpaca, skewered beef heart and deep fried chicken livers. Yes, I tried everything (and still feel okay!). The food was a buffet style, with appetizers on one table, main courses on another table, and desserts in the rear. I tried a lot of everything, things that weren’t labeled but everything was fabulous. We were seated on a covered patio and were serenaded by some authentic Peruvian musicians, sipping a complimentary Pisco Sour. Ah, the good life!

The class then visited the Incan site of Ollantaytambo. This site was a very intricate complex of walls constructed into the hillside. On the top of the terraces lies the Temple of the Sun. Many old walls of the Inca village are still intact. One other thing about Ollantaytambo that was fascinating is that when the Spanish arrived, it was still under construction. There were large stones that had yet to be set into place, and they still remain as is. It is as if someone hit pause on construction and then never looked back. The views from the top of the site were breathtaking.

We then got on the bus and headed towards Cusco. I was feeling pretty tired, and did not have much energy the rest of the night. Some of the members of our class have been sick and in and out of the hospital due to the elevation. The Battle of Cusco has been rough on us California agriculturalists, as we have lost many men. Let's hope we all start feeling better as we'll be traveling to the next spot soon.

Lima to Cusco, Peru

The lack of sleep was starting to hit everyone. After another night of 4 or 5 hours of sleep (depending if you slept on the bus), sleep deprivation was starting to set in. We were ready for our flight to Cusco, barely. We boarded the bus and drove through Lima for the last time on the way to the airport.

We were glad that we could take our water and wear shoes through security, finally, an airport with common sense! We boarded our flight and took the short one-hour flight to Cusco. We landed and when walking off the plane, we were slammed by the elevation change. Lima was around sea level, and we suddenly were at 10,900 feet. My head was spinning, I couldn’t breathe, but I was here, Cusco.

We got our luggage and quickly headed to the hotel, where we had a hot cup of cocoa tea waiting for us. Some in our class went out on the town… and I just rested in the room. I am glad I did. Some members in our class lined up at the oxygen tank. Unfortunately, one of our members had to go to the hospital, and she ended up staying there overnight for observation.

We had a city tour later in the afternoon, and I was still totally exhausted. We walked around the Cathedral, and viewed the Incan ruins. The Spanish when they first came to this area tore down Incan sites and built their own cathedrals right on top of them. The Incan construction was earthquake proof- while the Spanish didn’t understand that concept. Spanish construction was crude and ugly, where the Incan construction was uniform and essentially perfect. The stories we heard were fascinating.

We toured the interior of the Cathedral, and then walked outside into the main gardens area with amazing views of the city. Our class broke down into smaller groups and did a little shopping. I worked on my bartering skills in Spanish and bought a few items.

We then met back at the hotel and went as a group to dinner. We ended up at a swank nightclub and had a presentation on Incan religion and language. The speaker explained how the Spanish conquistadors forced their religion upon the Incans and how over time the Catholic religion and the Incan religion melded together. Our group was exhausted and famished- the talk somewhat fell on deaf ears. Even one of our group leaders was in and out of sleep during the talk. Finally, we were seated at dinner. We stayed seated for quite some time before our appetizers came out. We were pleasantly surprised with the presentation and the flavors. Dinner was served, and although the portions were miniature, the flavor was intense. We waited a long time for dinner, and even one of the group leaders couldn’t wait any more and walked out. I of course stayed to the bitter end. Let’s just say it was the sweet end- the dessert of fruit ice cream and citrus slices was well worth the wait.

Agrokasa, Ica, Peru

After time spent with the villagers, our class went along our way to meet one of the world's largest asparagus growers in Ica, Peru at one of his farms. Our bus met Pepe Chlimper, who also was previously the Agriculture Minister in Peru about 10 years ago and he served as our tour guide. We also met Tony & Gisela- my contacts down here that helped make the village project and this tour possible.

First when our bus arrived, I went off the bus to meet Pepe, Tony and Gisela and greet them. Pepe first off said, "OK, level with me. I'm going bumper to bumper with California asparagus and avocado growers- who is on that bus?" From the bat he wanted the straight deal. We told him that he should not worry, we don't have any competitors here, we are here just to learn. He relaxed, and said, "OK... I know how to proceed."

We first toured a smaller ranch of his, and looked at his biological control program. He hatched various insects to use an integrated pest management strategy to help decrease the amount of bug pressure in his fields so he only uses minimal pesticides. Pepe explained how he started out in the industry in the early 90's, and how he has grown to the size he is today. He essentially bought some desert land and completely transformed it to the productive farm it is today.

We next went to another ranch, this one that produces table grapes, asparagus and avocados. We drove around the endless miles of asparagus fields, hearing Pepe talk about how he's turned into the largest grower today, which retail markets he targets and how he feels his biggest competitor is broccoli, not other asparagus growers. We had a falcon hunt exhibition, as he has a large amount of bird pressure in his vineyards and uses Peregrine Falcons to keep the other birds out.

We looked at vineyards, his irrigation system, and all of his packing sheds. He wasn't harvesting on this ranch at the time so it was rather empty. They only take three weeks off from harvest on this ranch, so he said our timing was perfect.

We soon left the company of one of Peru's richest men and headed back to Lima. What a contrast we've seen this day- the poorest of villages in the foothills of the Andes to one of the more affluent Peruvians around. Our class had some very lively discussions on the trip back to Lima. We were running behind schedule, but that seems to be par for the course on this trip.

Huamani, Peru

Where to begin, I don't have the words to express all the emotions I felt this day. I have planning this day for months, and the excitement was building.

We woke very early and met Claus with his crew and some vans he had rented for us (our bus probably couldn't make it). We crammed in the vans with our school supplies and strapped the wheelchair on the top of the van. I went with Claus in his SUV. We drove through the city of Ica- which was in pretty bad shape still from the earthquake years ago. There was so much poverty in all directions, it really made me appreciate what I have. We are very spoiled in America.

We took the windy dirt road up into the mountains. The mountains are devoid of any vegetation, with the valleys very lush due to the intricate irrigation canals. We finally arrived at our destination- Huamani. We first walked up on the mountain, overlooking the village. It was much as I expected (I had also seen the pictures, and was partially prepared). I could see the etchings in the dirt of a basic rake- these people were very excited to have us here and host us for the morning. We learned about how the village will take place from Claus's associate Vicente- with a member of our class (Jose) acting as the interpreter.

We then walked back down to village and went to the school. The professor I had been in communication with was there to greet us. We took the bags of supplies in to the school and placed them on a table (the only table in the school). It was absolutely overflowing with goods. We took out the soccer balls, inflated them and passed them out to the children. One of us actually brought a football (he must have misread my email to bring a futbal!) and was soon showing the boys how to throw a perfect spiral. It was very overwhelming for the children... they didn't know what to say or do.

After we met at the school, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We walked down to the south side of the village where the adobe bricks were being constructed. There we had a quick overview on the construction process. Before I knew it, I was rolling up my work jeans and helping mix the adobe mud with my feet, stomping around like we were making wine. The adobe then was soon brought down to the forms and we then helped make the bricks. A few bricks were broken- but hey, we're rookies.

We cleaned up as much as we could and headed to the central meeting area of the village, which essentially is just a large concrete slab. We had a formal presentation of giving the mesh to the villagers. I spoke a few words (translated via Jose) and thanked the villagers for the opportunity and thanked Claus for assisting us in this process. The village leader spoke a few words back to us- she talked about how fortunate they were to have us come there. She said that since the earthquake, things have been very hard, as many of the homes were destroyed. She thanked us for helping them at a time where everyone else has forgotten about them. They expressed that anytime we wanted to come back, we would always be welcome with open arms. We concluded the ceremony with a toast.

It was just starting to drizzle, in an area that gets absolutely no rain. The villagers were smiling, we were smiling but we had one more important duty. We got the wheelchair for the girl and went to her house. You could tell she was nervous, yet excited. We presented her with the wheelchair. Her mother was there and the tears streaming down her face touched everyone in the group. She was picked up and placed in the chair, and you could see her trying to hide her smile. It was overwhelming for her to have 26 Americans staring at her in her new chair. She spent much of her time in a plastic chair, she now was able to get out and move around the village almost like any of the others.

From this we all went back to the vans and squeezed back in. The villagers lined the streets and waved to us as we left the village, smiles from ear to ear.

Adios gringos!!!

Adios, Huamani.